Sunday, February 3, 2013

The Cutting Edge

By THE WATCHMAN

FUSTRATED BY KRA. The Kenya Revenue Authority is frustrating Winfred Kamau who applied for a transfer of logbooks for two motor vehicles, Reg KBB 885A and KBB 886A, on January 16, and made it known he urgently required the documents.

He was assured that it would take only between three and four weeks to process it, but to date, he has not heard a word from the officials. Says he: “Watchie, can you, please, kindly find out what is happening.” His contact is Tel. 0722886676 or [email protected].

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DELAYS EXPLAINED. The delay in issuing Winnie Mengech’s passport was as a result of power outages experienced in Nyayo House in December and early last month resulting in a huge backlog, says Rosella Njaya, the principal public communications officer, Ministry of Immigration.

Her case, Rosella adds, happened to be one of those that took longer than expected.” However, the passport was issued on January 25 and she collected it the same day before her complaint appeared in your column.”

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REFUND MY MONEY. The much-touted rural electrification programme leaves a lot to be desired, says David Mutiso. He personally applied for power connection to his home in Ukambani in May 2011 (Ref E21132011031075) paying all the requisite charges. A contractor arrived, did the wiring and promised that a transformer would be installed in a week.

To this day, nothing has happened. “They should refund my money if they can’t do it,” says David, whose contact is Tel. 0721575151 or [email protected].

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HELP ON THE WAY. Nema has sought the support of IEBC chairman Ahmed Hassan and Local Government PS Karega Mutahi to implement the law requiring that all political parties be held accountable for the removal and disposal of all campaign posters and grafitti, says principal corporate communications officer Anthony Ngare.

He adds: “We will continue to fully exercise our mandate on environmental matters and are now working on a long-term strategy on posters and other campaign materials.”

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KEEP LEFT, Y’ALL. A drive on the modern Thika Superhighway would be more joyful for motorists if only all the slow moving cars, matatus, buses, lorries and motorbikes were prevented from competing for the fast lanes, remarks Patrick Kariuki, adding that it is the failure to keep left that often clogs up traffic on a road built to ease congestion.

“What became of the rule that requires all motorists to keep to the left unless overtaking?” he asks.

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WHERE ARE THE LIGHTS? Though happy that the repairs on the scenic Arboretum Drive,in Nairobi which had stalled resumed after Watchie highlighted the issue and that the job was completed on Tuesday last week with all the potholes patched up, Churchill Amatha, a regular user of the road, says the project is still incomplete.

“What became of the installation of streetlights on the road?” he asks, adding: “The uprooted lamp-posts, which must by now have been carted away by scrap-metal dealers have yet to be replaced.”